The Friend

It is not true that alcoholics drink alone.  They never drink alone.  They always drink with their friend, alcohol.  Over time, they get to know their friend pretty well, its capabilities to make the moment different, better or worse.  For a while they can enjoy their friend, but then in time, their friend becomes indispensible, though far less enjoyable.  A darkening dependency develops.  Many people in codependency know of this kind of relationship.  You get worse, more unhappy, but you stay in the relationship.  The friendship is gone, the dependency is not.  The alcoholic is now alone more than ever, but still with their old friend who in a cunning fashion, has turned on them and wants them dead.  Alcoholics in recovery share at least two things: Gratitude and the need for new friends.